Synopses & Reviews
A boy and a girl are stripped and marooned on a small island for the night. They are the “goats.” The kids at camp think its a great joke, just a harmless old tradition. But the goats dont see it that way. Instead of trying to get back to camp, they decide to call home. But no one can come and get them. So theyre on their own, wandering through a small town trying to find clothing, food, and shelter, all while avoiding suspicious adults—especially the police. The boy and the girl find they rather like life on their own. If their parents ever do show up to rescue them, the boy and the girl might be long gone. . . . The Goats is a 1987 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year.
Review
“Brock Cole has written a gripping novel that is part survival story, part psychological drama, and part realistic problem novel, though these descriptions do not come close to conveying the conviction and the depth of the writing. . . . A significant addition to the body of childrens literature.”—
The Horn Book, Starred Review
“A sensitive portrayal of that perilous time when young people are discovering their real strengths but must still bow to adult authority, a tale of underdogs triumphant, a powerful and beguiling story of survival and transformation.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Written with the mastery and sureness of a seasoned novelist, it is a gripping, startling and thought-provoking story about children who find inner strength when they are pushed to the edge.”—Publishers Weekly
“One of the most important books of the decade.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“A strong, well-blended story of modern day survival.”—School Library Journal
Review
"A significant addition to the body of childrens literature." -- Starred,
The Horn Book"A sensitive portrayal of that perilous time when young people are discovering their real strengths but must still bow to adult authority, a tale of underdogs triumphant, a powerful and beguiling story of survival and transformation." -- Starred, Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Harmless camp pranks can quickly spiral out of control, but they also provide a perfect opportunity for two social outcasts to overcome and triumph.
Synopsis
Fifteenth anniversary of the classicOn the fifteenth anniversary of the publication of The Goats, Farrar, Straus and Giroux is proud to reissue a new paperback edition featuring Brock Coles original hardcover jacket art as well as the black-and-white pen-and-ink chapter openings.
About the Author
BROCK COLE is the author of several highly acclaimed novels as well as the author and illustrator of many picture books, including
Good Enough to Eat,
Buttons, and
Larky Mavis. Hes also the illustrator of
George Washingtons Teeth, available from Square Fish. He lives in Buffalo, New York.
Of his first novel, The Goats, Anita Silvey wrote in a Horn Book Magazine editorial, “The Goats reaffirms my belief that childrens literature is alive and thriving.” Betsy Hearne, editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books, lauded it as “one of the most important books of the decade.”